The Heavyweights - Boxing

The heavyweight division has always had its ups and downs in the level of excitement it brings to fans. But when the talent is plenty and  promotion houses get done right, we all benefit with great matchups and enthusiasm for future events.

Not since the 80's and 90's when Tyson, Holyfield and Lennox made the division must watch events, has the heavyweights been so exciting.  The big boys division is going through a period of quality fighters and an abundance in match ups to be made.

Tyson Fury

Fury and Anthony Josua will fight in 2021.  They are the best two heavyweights in the division and that's the fight fans want to see. Tyson Fury is undefeated and his two fights against Wilder proved that he is the better fighter of the two.  Tyson's victory over Klitschko catapulted him to the top and now stands as the best heavyweight in the world. One more win over Joshua is all he needs to be the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world.

Anthony Joshua

Joshua has an impressive record.  He also beat the great Wladimir Klitschko and has defeated top fighters such as Alexander Povetkin, Dillan Whyte and Joseph Parker. His only blemish happened against Ruiz, a solid fighter with a good record,  but the way in which he lost that fight raises many questions around him.  Does he have stamina issues? Is his chin questionable? What happened to him that night?  He did avenge his loss to Ruiz using a boxer-type style that was refreshing to see.

Deontay Wilder

Wilder has an impressive record of 44 fights, 42 wins and 41 knockouts.  That knockout ratio is an anomaly that we will not see again in a long time.  Wilder's physique and devastating power has taken him to the top. Perhaps he's relied on that power too much.  His two fights against Ortiz taught us much about Wilder's boxing skills and amazing power. He was way behind on the scorecards and both times his right hand bailed him out of  imminent losses. Let's not forget that he is not your traditional boxer. He took up the sport at age 20. Way too old to develop him and polish his skills. This is why he is at a disadvantage when he fights technical fighters as Fury or Ortiz. At 34, it will be hard for him to get to the top again.  He's had a wonderful run full of Benjamins straight into his bank account.

Oleksandr Usyk

Usyk is poised to take the division and turn it upside down.  A decorated amateur and olympic gold medalist, the Ukrainian is perhaps the most skillful fighter in the heavyweight division right now.  Usyk is a natural cruiserweight but after dominating the division, he's set his eyes on the highest prize in boxing, the heavyweight crown. His record stands at 17 wins, 0 losses with 13 knockouts. He's got notable wins over Tony Bellew, Murat Gassiev (a solid fighter) and Mairis Briedis. His speed and skills will be a problem even for Fury and Joshua. Let's hope we get to fight against them.

Dillan Whyte

Whyte has held the WBC interim heavyweight since July 2019. He's record stands at 27 wins, 1 loss and 18 knockouts.  His only loss against Joshua was a hard fought bout where Dillan had his moments. He has notable wins over Chisora and Joseph Parker.  If he can overcome his mental and personal problems, he could get to the top.

There are plenty of other heavyweights with real chances of making a breakthrough and disrupting the division.  Ruiz certainly did it against Joshua. Let's hope that was not his only claim to fame and fade away after that. Kubrat Pulev, Alexander Povetkin and Luis Ortiz could all have another shot at glory. At 39, 40 and 41 respectively, their biggest challenger is time. There are always young lions lurking around and waiting for the right time. Michael Hunter and Filip Hrgovic are two of those young lions. The later one could be the next big thing in heavyweight boxing.